Lubbock license plate cameras spark privacy debate
Lubbock license plate cameras spark privacy debate
https://www.fox34.com/2026/06/04/lubbock-license-plate-cameras-spark-privacy-debate/
Publish Date: 2026-06-03 20:53:00
Source Domain: www.fox34.com
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Cameras at intersections across Lubbock are capturing images of license plates and storing them in a police database, a practice law enforcement says helps solve crimes, but critics call invasive surveillance.
For the past year, 27 cameras have monitored Lubbock streets, snapping still pictures of license plates as vehicles pass by. The images are stored in the Flock database, which Lubbock Police Department accesses for investigations.
“Flock cameras are not surveillance. They are an investigative tool. We use them, I would say on a daily basis, to help solve cases,” said Lt. Brady Cross.
Cross said the cameras help both identify suspects and clear innocent people from investigations.
“They’re a great, great tool and sometimes to find an offender as much to vindicate someone. To say it wasn’t this person we thought it was — it goes both ways. But on a daily basis there are folks on patrol and in investigations that use these for leads in investigations,” Cross said.
Images not related to active investigations are purged every 30 days, according to police. If an officer finds a lead and identifies a car believed to be involved in a case, that image is saved longer for the retention period of that offense.
“Now if an officer finds a lead and finds a car believed to be involved in a case, we’ll save that and it will hang around longer for the retention period of that offense but by and large a car passing through an intersection if it’s not related to anything we’re looking into is purged every 30 days,” Cross said.
The Texas Legislature banned red light cameras in 2019, after concerns they violated due process. Police said Flock cameras differ in how they are used.
“It’s not for law enforcement in the sense that we’re going to write a ticket or that we’re going to punish a traffic violation for running a red light or speeding. It is to assist in identifying vehicles, suspect vehicles, in cases like robbery, auto…
